When good enough IS good enough

One of my first mentors once told me, "Good enough is never good enough." Great advice. Perfection is not easily achieved. It takes commitment. It takes a level of persistence and stubbornness to reach the pinnacle of execution. But, perfection for the sake of perfection can be a false god. Obsession can blind you to the reason you seek it in the first place.

I have spent years watching clients try to perfect efficiency, streamline processes, maximize capacity and increase profit. And still, that's not enough. In spite of their managerial success, the margins continue to shrink. There are limits to the ROI in performance managment. When you are approaching 98% of perfection, there's not much left to gain with that last 2%. It doesn't eliminate competition.

When you reach this point, it's time to focus on the other end of the spectrum.

A "Blue Ocean Strategy" can shift your thinking from the incremental gains of a highly contested market space to uncontested space where gains are measured by miles, not inches.

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Creativity Beyond Google Goggles

Android-based Google Glasses may soon hit the market. For a price tag between $250 and $600, Google can filter your world 24 hours a day at 3 or 4G. Before surrendering any more of my cognitive processes to technology, I'll share some insights from the opposite end of the spectrum.

Several months ago, I reconnected with a former instructor from Pratt Institute. Emil Dispenza is a creative director who gave my career its first jolt. His influence stayed with my all my life. Reconnecting with him has been like sticking my finger in a 220 socket. His imagination cannot be defined or quanitifed.

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The Problem Solving Dilemma

A dilemma suggests a choice between two or more equally undesirable alternatives. It’s a frequent managerial situation where a decision, and ultimately trade offs must be made to solve a problem. The real problem is not the lack of attractive alternatives, but a lack of understanding of the problem itself.

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Innovative business model based on the laws of physics

Business models that capitalize on opportunities overlooked by conventional market structures can be very lucrative territory for an innovative entrepreneur. It is the essence of innovation to focus on what’s missing rather than what’s there. The solution is in the model. Strategically reorienting business elements creates a series of opportunities for products or services. It’s a foundation for serial entrepreneurship. Hayden Hamilton, is mining the market gaps left unattended by industry giants with a series startups. He is applying basic laws of physics to economics with interesting results.   

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Measuring the wrong metrics. Where innovation often fails.

A truncated quote is often attributed to Peter Drucker, “You can’t manage what you cannot measure.” The continuation of that thought continues, “You can’t measure everything that matters.” The first half has become embedded into our DNA. The second half is simply false. You can measure what matters, but not by the same metrics as everything else.

Our culture has created problem solvers. Identify the problem and solve it quickly. The result may create more downstream problems. Solve them later. This is our business nature. But, it’s not our human nature,

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Then what? Strategic business questions.

Every organization wants people with answers. I prefer people with questions – specific questions like: What if? Why not? Then what?

Questions do more than seek response. They provide direction. A question well asked is half answered. Ask “Then what?” and you’re exploring beyond tactics to the strategic potential of the solution.

Some solutions only postpone the problem. Some offload the problem without really solving it. Some  solve one problem but create another downstream.
Then what?

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Innovation as an economic turnaround strategy

After months of cutbacks, reductions and layoff, is your organization ready for an economic rebound? Emotionally? Probably yes.
Strategically? Probably no. Managing in a downturn requires the most from the least. Efficiency is king. Innovation, strategic visioning? Minimized or eliminated altogether. Your decision clock is ticking.

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